-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An unprecedented global crime wave threatens the most important natural places on Earth and we are failing in our efforts to stop it .

Look past the drug wars , the counterfeiting industry and human trafficking and you 'll find one of the next biggest criminal enterprises in the world : the trade in illicit wildlife .

Trafficking in wildlife and its body parts is exploding in popularity among global crime syndicates . Unlike other illicit trades , killing and selling parts from rhinos , tigers and elephants holds advantages for criminals : The product is poorly protected at its source , its trade is poorly regulated and wildlife crime is poorly investigated and lightly punished . For a hardcore criminal , illicit wildlife trafficking is a low-risk , high-reward bonanza .

News : Rhino poaching hits record numbers in South Africa

An analysis released Tuesday and commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund -- based on interviews with governments , military and civil society leaders -- underscores that illicit wildlife trafficking is not just an environmental problem , but a transnational crime issue .

It compromises the security of countries and destroys natural wealth . INTERPOL and other law enforcement groups agree that the involvement of organized crime syndicates and rebel militias in wildlife crime to fund their activities and purchase weapons has increased . It also highlights that black market wildlife trade hinders sustainable , social and economic development . The violent nature of poaching reduces the effectiveness of governments , erodes the rule of law and affects the growth of local communities .

Authorities estimate the illegal wildlife trade to be worth up to $ 10 billion annually -- or almost $ 20 billion if you count the illegal trade in timber and fisheries products . That puts it among the top illegal trades in the world . As a direct consequence of these profits , the killings are way up : Africa loses tens of thousands of elephants each year for their ivory , wild tiger populations have plummeted to as few as 3,200 and rhino poaching in Africa is exploding .

News : Booming illegal ivory trade taking severe toll on Africa 's elephants

For years South Africa boasted low rates of rhino poaching , with approximately 20 rhinos killed annually . In the past five years , the number has soared exponentially ; 618 rhinos have been poached in 2012 . Vietnam , China and Thailand drive much of the illegal wildlife demand but we should n't forget that Americans are complicit in this trade . After China , the United States may be the second largest market for wildlife products in the world , a significant percentage of which is illegal , including illicit ivory trinkets being sold in Manhattan and international rhino horn trafficking rings operating out of Los Angeles .

We 're going to lose this fight if we do n't up our game . We need solutions as sophisticated as the criminals we face . Crime syndicates employ helicopters , night vision equipment and high capacity automatic weapons . Park rangers are vastly outgunned and often outmanned .

There is a way forward that offers some hope . Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has made this a strategic imperative for U.S. interests around the world , emphasizing it as a major national security issue , and we are beginning to engage other governments in this discussion . It goes far beyond the loss of animals . Poaching decreases food security for rural communities , and evidence points to the sale of ivory as a means of funding rebel militias in places like Central Africa .

News : Thousands of crocodiles rescued from smugglers in China

The private sector is taking notice . Google just announced a signature charity giving initiative , funding WWF in the development of cutting-edge technologies to help us detect and track both animals and poachers on the ground . This project will develop a new surveillance approach to greatly increase enforcement effectiveness by intercepting the poachers before they can do harm .

This is a step in the right direction , but we 'll need governments to build not just the capacity but also the resolve to apply the technology and enforcement at a much greater scale . Across the world , we need to strengthen criminal investigation , prosecution and sentencing on wildlife crime . That means more money and resources for law enforcement to support , for example , specialized investigative and forensic methodologies . Simultaneously , we need awareness-raising campaigns to reduce demand , especially among consumers in Asia , and to use the best available market research to guide social media campaigns .

We need governments on both the supply and demand side of this trade to work together and bring serious commitments to the table in March , when representatives for some 170 nations will come together in Thailand -- itself a major market for illegal ivory -- for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species . Here they will aim to make good on the promises to get a handle on this epidemic . A major litmus test of the convention will be the nations ' ability to make convincing commitments to address all aspects of the crisis .

News : Photographer documents trafficking of endangered animals in Asia

We can roll back this wave of crime , but we 're far from making that happen . There are promising signs but we will need a sustained tenfold increase in efforts from consumers , communities , the private sector , and most importantly , from governments to stop the slaughter before it 's too late .

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Carter Roberts .

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Carter Roberts : Wildlife trade a growing global criminal enterprise poorly addressed

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It 's an environmental problem and world crime issue , destroys nations ' natural wealth

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He says rebel militias , organized crime use funds from illicit wildlife trade ; rangers outgunned

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Roberts : Governments must use technology , enforcement to stem supply and demand